On Monday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa emphasized that the Supreme Court would still hear the case seeking the annulment of general elections, even though the petitioner withdrew the plea for re-election due to alleged rigging on February 8.
During the hearing, the apex court’s bench, including Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, addressed complainant Brig (retd) Ali Khan’s petition. CJP Isa insisted on locating and presenting the complainant before the court, stating that the court could not be mocked in such a manner.
This development comes as various political parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), have expressed concerns about the transparency of the general elections.
Adding to the concerns, former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaqat Chatha resigned, admitting to abetting large-scale electoral rigging in the garrison city. This raised political tensions in the country.
The Rawalpindi Division has 13 National Assembly seats, with 11 won by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates. During the hearing, CJP Isa questioned whether the petition was filed for mere publicity and directed authorities to contact the petitioner.
The court was told that the petitioner could not be reached despite efforts, and the hearing was adjourned until February 21.
It’s important to note that not only political parties but also the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has raised concerns about the reliability and trustworthiness of the general elections, especially the post-polling process.
In response to these concerns, the HRCP called for the publication of all relevant forms under the Elections Act 2017 and urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to order ballot recounts in close contests. Additionally, the HRCP highlighted issues like the nationwide suspension of internet and mobile services on the day of the polls, which affected voters’ ability to locate polling stations.
Last week, the chief justice of the Sindh High Court (SHC) formed a tribunal to address petitions related to rigging in the February 8 general elections. The SHC has established benches in Karachi, Sukkur, Hyderabad, and Larkana divisions to hear election-related petitions.